1999 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

WHILE ON A DOWNGRADE WITH THE ENGINE BRAKE ENGAGED AND IN 4TH GEAR, AT ABOUT 1900 RPM, THE SIDE MOUNTED FAN EXPLODED SENDING PLASTIC AND METAL PARTS OUT THE REAR OF THE MOTORHOME SHOWERING THE VEHICLE BEING TOWED AND ANOTHER VEHICLE FOLLOWING BEHIND. UPON INSPECTION THE FAN, WHICH IS DRIVEN BY A HYDRAULIC PUMP, WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACHED BY TWO BOLTS TO A CROSS BAR BETWEEN THE RADIATOR AND THE ENGINE. THE BOLT HOLES IN THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WERE ELONGATED AND BOTH BOLTS HAD SHEARED OFF ALLOWING THE PUMP TO FALL DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAN BLADES HITTING THE CHASSIS FRAME AND CAUSING THE FAN TO BOUNCE AROUND THE COMPARTMENT HITTING THE RADIATOR AND PIPING AND THE INTERCOOLER PIPING. THIS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM IS ALSO PART OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. UPON BEING TOWED BACK TO RAPID CITY, SD THERE WAS ANOTHER DUTCHSTAR (A 2000) AT THE FREIGHTLINER DEALER WITH THE SAME FAILURE. REPLACEMENT PARTS CONSISTED OF A HYDRAULIC DRIVE MOTOR, RADIATOR AND INTERCOOLER PLUS ALL THE REPLACEMENT FLUIDS FOR BOTH. I RETAINED THE HYDRAULIC DRIVE MOTOR IF NEEDED. IF THE FAN HAD SEVERED THE HYDRAULIC LINE THAT WOULD HAVE DISABLED THE STEERING SYSTEM WITH LOSS OF THE ABILITY TO STEER. ALSO IF THERE WERE NOT A VEHICLE BEING TOWED THAT TOOK THE BLOW OF MOST OF THE PARTS COMING OFF THE ENGINE THE VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN AND FOLLOWING BEHIND COULD HAVE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.

HAD BAD FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY USE OF ULTRA LOW SULFER DIESEL FUEL.(ULDF). REPLACED FUEL TRANSFER (LIFT) PUMP P/N 4935007 OLD PUMPWAS AVAILABLE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NEWMAR DUTCH STAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE CENTER FOR REGULAR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND ALSO BECAUSE HE NOTICED THE SHUT OFF SWITCH FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THAT A FIRE PREVIOUSLY OCCURRED BECAUSE THE WIRING MELTED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING BURNING NOR DID HE SEE ANY FLAMES. HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAMAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE REAR COMPARTMENT. UPDATED 05/21/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON WET ROADS IN THE RAIN, MOISTURE WAS PICKED UP THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE PARTIALLY LOST POWER, BUT KEPT MOVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE AIR INTAKE TUBE HAD BEEN REPLACED BY A SERVICE DEALER DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE, BUT THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, WHO STATED THAT THE CONTACT HAD THE MOST UP TO DATE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE RECURRED A SECOND TIME.

DRIVING ON I-90 IN SOME RAINY WEATHER, ERROR CODE LIGHT CAME ON. I STOPPED CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS & CONTINUED ON. A FEW HOURS LATER THE ENGINE BEGAN TO INCREASE IN SPEED ON ITS OWN .RPM'S WERE AT 2000 & THE COACH WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP. THE CHASSIS CONNECTOR ( CONNECTS COACH TO ENGINE AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE) FILLED WITH WATER AND CAUSED SHORTS,CROSSES,AND GROUNDS IN THE WIRING AND CAUSED THE MOTORHOME TO INCREASE IN SPEED ON ITS OWN. THE BRAKES WERE HOT AND SMOKING WHEN WE FINALLY GOT STOPPED. TECHNICIAN PULLED CONNECTOR APART, USED COMPRESSED AIR TO REMOVE THE WATER & A CONTACT CLEANER TO CLEAN THE PROBES & CONTACTS IN THE CONNECTOR. CONNECTOR WAS PLUGGED BACK TOGETHER, ALL SHORTS, GROUNDS, AND CROSSES WERE GONE. TECHNICIAN CLEARED ALL ERROR CODES, PUT SILICONE ON CONNECTOR TO KEEP WATER OUT UNTIL CONNECTOR CAN BE REPLACED. UPON LEAVING THE SHOP TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT UP UNTIL RPM'S WERE AT 2000. IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 6TH UNLESS IT IS DONE MANUALLY. *NM